Saturday, September 10, 2011

The
region along the Ohio River known as Kentuckiana is about to become divided
into Kentucky and Indiana.

Three
bridges connect the communities. One is pretty much for local access only.
Another has just been closedafter
a crack was found in it. It could be closedfor
months. That leaves only one major, clogged
artery connecting the two states.

This is
bad news for people in both communities, but particularly for people like me
and my wife who live in southern Indiana and work in Kentucky. We can expectour
commutes to more than double, if not worse. I’m lucky enough to have an
employer that will be patient with me. Others aren’t as fortunate.

The sad
part is this problem could have been avoided. It’s not like a natural disaster
suddenly destroyed a bridge without warning. Instead, this problem has resulted
over decades of use. Planners should have laid out alternatives years ago. To
the extent that they’ve tried, they’ve been rebuffed by “not in our backyard”
special interests threatening lawsuits. Hopefully, this serves as a wake-up
call.

It’s time
to put pettiness aside and move forward. Bridges won’t be built overnight.
Severing these communities economically is not an option. What would Kentucky
do without the contributions of Indiana workers? What would Indiana do without
the taxes of Kentucky workers who choose their state as a bedroom community?

The fact
that we’re in this predicament is a failure of the leadership of both states.
They have urged us to think regionally, but haven’t provided us with the
necessary infrastructure to support that strategy. That’s got to change,
starting now.

Unfortunately,
it could be too little too late. Many Indiana residents may be forced to
reconsider their living and/or work arrangements. As for me, I guess I’ll be in
the market for a personal submarine, a jet pack or a hang glider.